Stolarz to start in goal for Maple Leafs in Game 1 against Senators

TORONTO -- Anthony Stolarz will start in goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, ESPN2).

Stolarz went 21-8-3 with a 2.14 goals-against average and .926 save percentage in 34 games (33 starts) this season. Joseph Woll was 27-14-1 with a 2.73 GAA and .909 save percentage in 42 games (41 starts).

Stolarz finished with eight straight wins allowing a total of only 11 goals and had three shutouts in his final four starts.

“He has had a good run here,” Toronto general manager Brad Treliving said. “He got a chance to see it firsthand last year. Yeah, the stakes are bigger but it’s the same rink, same game starting Sunday as he has been through before and we have all the confidence in the world in him. It’s earned. It’s earned because he’s played well.”

The 31-year-old has played 142 regular-season NHL games over eight seasons but his playoff experience amounts to one appearance last season with the Florida Panthers, when he came on in relief of Sergei Bobrovsky in an 8-1 loss in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, allowing three goals on 19 shots in 34:50.

He does not expect the pressure of making his first Stanley Cup Playoff start to get to him.

“Just my demeanor [will help me],” Stolarz said. “At the end of the day, it’s the same game we’ve played. We played 82 of them this year, you just want to go out and enjoy the moment. It’s special to play in the playoffs and we are not going to take it for granted, for sure.”

Stolarz had an equally strong regular season with the Panthers last season, going 16-7-2 with a 2.03 GAA and .925 save percentage. The Maple Leafs signed him to a two-year contract ($2.5 million average annual value) July 1, 2024 as unrestricted free agent with the expectation he could take on greater responsibility.

If Stolarz had not missed 24 games from Dec. 14 to Feb. 4 because of knee surgery, Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies said he would have deserved Vezina Trophy consideration as the NHL’s top goalie.

“I think so,” Knies said. “He’d definitely be in that conversation. He would be in that conversation for sure.

“I saw those stats (of Stolarz’s strong finish), it’s nuts. A lot of confidence he’s giving us. I feel like those are crazy statistics. I want him to be at his best and I think he is right now. It’s going to be important for him to hold us in games because I feel like this is kind of going to be a wild series and pretty hectic, so I think he’s up for it, for sure.”

Longtime NHL goalie Martin Biron explained on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio on Wednesday what he has seen from Stolarz (6-foot-6, 243-pounds) the past two seasons that led to his improved play.

“What we saw out of him in Florida last year, the way he controls his body, his positioning, playing a little deeper in the net and using a wider butterfly now,” Biron said. “He’s worked a lot of on his stability and core strength to allow him to have the strength to not fall backwards or fall out of his form. If you try to go east-west on Stolarz, it’s not going to work. He’s big, he’s got long legs, he stays deep and he can move laterally really, really good. The big thing is you have to get someone in his face, he’s still a big goaltender but if he doesn’t have the cleanest of looks, then there’s a lot of rebounds.”

“If you are planning to go east-west and look at backdoor plays, he’s really good on them. That’s the one thing I noticed last year, his ability to move laterally despite being a big goalie.”

Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev agreed there just does not seem to be much from for shooters the way Stolarz has played this season.

“He’s already a big guy but he positions himself really well trying to take as much of the net as possible,” Tanev said. “When he’s feeling as confident as he is right now, he’s a tough goalie to beat for sure.”

The Maple Leafs will also be buoyed in Game 1 by the return of defenseman Jake McCabe, who missed the final seven regular-season games with an upper-body injury.

“Yeah, pumped, ready to rock,” McCabe said after skating in his usual spot with Tanev at practice Saturday.

McCabe, who had 23 points (two goals, 21 assists) in 66 games, said he saw a benefit from his layoff.

“Fresher legs,” he said.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who missed the final four games with an upper-body injury, could also return for Game 1. He skated in his regular spot with Simon Benoit at practice Saturday. Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said he will decide Sunday, but Ekman-Larsson seemed positive about his status after practice.

“Felt good the last couple days, so we will see tomorrow,” Ekman-Larsson said.